Theft of copper wire leads to jail time and $124,000 restitution

Tama County District Court

May 29, 2014

A man serving time in a federal prison in West Virginia entered a written guilty plea to 3rd degree theft and 3rd degree criminal mischief in Tama County District Court in Toledo on May 9. A pair of two-year prison sentences handed down by Judge Nancy A. Baumgartner.

Dylan James Kelley, 41, who court records at the time of his arrest listed addresses of Waterloo and the Polk County Jail, was also ordered to pay restitution totaling $124,428 to Traer Manufacturing. A pair of $625 fines were suspended. The prison terms are to be served concurrently.

Kelley was accused of removing copper wire and electronic components from the closed Traer manufacturing plant at various times during the month of July, 2012. He was originally charged with 1st degree theft and 1st degree criminal mischief in complaints filed Jan. 24, 2013, by Tama County Deputy Sheriff Bruce Rhoads.

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Dylan James Kelley

Online federal court records show Kelley is currently serving a 10-year term for a conviction for distribution of methamphetamine and is a prisoner at the Hazelton U.S. Prison in Bruceton Mills, W.Va.

Also before Judge Baumgartner:

Anthony Alexander Perry, 44, Tama, pled guilty to domestic abuse assault - impeding breathing or circulation causing bodily injury. He was sentenced to five years in prison. A $750 fine was suspended.

According to court records, Perry was charged on Feb. 10 after a verbal fight with his live-in girlfriend escalated into a physical altercation in which she was strangled until she lost consciousness and suffered a bruise on the left side of her neck.

The charge was filed by Tama Police Officer Jason Bina.

Kenneth James Backen, 42, Evansdale, pled guilty to 1st offense drunken driving. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail with all but seven suspended, fined $1,250 and was placed on probation. He was directed to pay a $300 probation supervisory fee and to complete Drinking Drivers School. Backen was charged on Nov. 16, 2013, at the 135 mile marker on U.S. Highway 63 by Tama County Deputy Sheriff Brian Randall.

Brandon Lee Dvorak, 30, Toledo, received a deferred judgment and was placed on probation for five years to the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services. He pled guilty earlier to a charge of 1st degree theft.

Dvorak was directed to pay $54,205 in restitution to Werner's Inc., Tama, and a $300 probation supervisory fee. A $1,000 fine was suspended.

Dvorak was charged on June 4, 2013, for allegedly disposing of grain which had the security interest of another. The charge was filed by Tama Police Chief Dan Wilkens.

Before Judge Fae Hoover-Grinde:

James Donovan Ward, 39, rural Tama, pled guilty to a charge of making a false report and was sentenced to four days in jail and fined $350.

Ward was charged on Dec. 3, 2013, for allegedly dialing emergency number 911 and reporting a person was in his house threatening to kill him. The charge was filed by Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police Officer Fred Oster.

Jay Shannon Bear Jr., 17, rural Tama, pled guilty to possession of marijuana. He was sentenced to two days in jail with credit for two days already served, fined $315 and his drivers license was revoked for 180 days.

Bear was charged on Dec. 20, 2013, when marijuana was found in the glove compartment of his vehicle by Meskwaki Nation Tribal Police Officer Michael German.